You Shall Not Steal

A Shepherd's Voice (Transcript - Episode 7)

Let us begin in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thank you for joining me again for another episode of “A Shepherd’s Voice” as we continue our journey through the Ten Commandments. We will focus on the Seventh Commandment today, “You shall not steal.”

As I journey with you through these commandments, it is so critical that we understand how important these teachings are. The Church has a great wealth of reflections, over 2000 years, on what these commandments mean as we inherit them, the Mosaic law, the Decalogue. So, as we look at the commandments, let us really open our hearts to the ways in today’s world where we are so easily tempted to ignore these significant messages of truth from God.

God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, a divine law that reflects His justice and love. Among them, the Seventh Commandment – “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15) – reminds us of the fundamental respect we owe to others in matters of justice and charity. This commandment is not merely about avoiding theft in a literal sense but also calls us to uphold honesty, fairness, and responsibility in our dealings. “Thou shalt not steal” is an essential commandment that we have to really turn to in reflection, in our hearts, to really recognize how important it is.

This is reinforced throughout both the Old and New Testaments. In the Gospel of Luke, John the Baptist exhorts the people: “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages” (Luke 3:14). And St. Paul, writing to the Ephesians, instructs: “The thief must no longer steal, but rather labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may have something to share with one in need” (Ephesians 4:28). These passages reveal that the opposite of theft is not merely refraining from taking, but actively working with integrity and generosity.

The Church has always upheld this commandment as essential to the moral order. Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Rerum Novarum, wrote: “It is a most sacred law of nature that a father should provide food and all necessaries for those whom he has begotten … Hence, it is a right which is given to man by nature that he should possess things as his own.” This highlights the balance between respecting private property and ensuring justice, especially for the poor and vulnerable.

St. Augustine, too, gives us a powerful reflection: “Theft is not always committed by breaking into a house and taking something, but also when someone withholds what is due to another.” This reminds us that injustice is not only in outright robbery but also in dishonest business practices, unfair wages, and failing to give to those in need.

“Thou shalt not steal,” echoes through so many dimensions of the challenges we face in today’s world.

As we reflect on the Seventh Commandment today, let us consider not only what we must avoid but also what we must embrace: honesty, generosity, and a deep respect for the dignity of every person.

The Seventh Commandment encompasses a wide range of moral responsibilities regarding justice, charity, and respect for the goods of others. As we reflect on “Thou shalt not steal,” let us open our hearts to all the dimensions and all the challenges that it brings.

First, let’s talk about the direct prohibition of theft. At its most basic level, this commandment forbids stealing – taking another person’s property unjustly. This includes: robbery (taking something by force), burglary (stealing from a home or business), fraud and deception (dishonest business practices, false advertising or scams), cheating and plagiarism (taking credit for another’s work or ideas), and withholding wages (employers failing to pay just wages to workers).

Second, this commandment, “Thou shalt not steal,” is about respect for private property and the common good. The Church teaches that while private property is a natural right, it must be used responsibly. We are stewards of what we have. This means we must be fair in trade and business, avoid hoarding wealth while others suffer in poverty, and use our resources to help those in need.

Third, this commandment is about justice and charity in economic life. This commandment actually extends to the entire economic order. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that economic injustice – such as unfair wages, price gouging, and corruption – violates this commandment (CCC 2401-2409).

What this means is that workers should give an honest day’s work, employers should pay fair wages and consumers should make ethical choices, avoiding products and services made through exploitation.

Fourth, this commandment is about the obligation of restitution. If we have stolen, cheated, or acted unjustly, we are morally bound to make restitution – returning what was taken or compensating for the damage caused. This is seen in the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10. After encountering Christ, Zacchaeus declared, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” Jesus praised his repentance, showing that justice and conversion go hand in hand.

Fifth, this commandment encompasses care for the poor. While respecting private property, the Church also upholds the idea that the earth’s resources are meant for all, not just a few. When someone is in extreme need, and another hoards wealth unjustly, refusing to help, this can be a form of theft. St. Basil the Great said, “The bread you store up belongs to the hungry; the coat you keep in your closet belongs to the naked.” Thus, this commandment calls us to generosity, fair economic structure, and a heart that prioritizes people over possessions.

Also, I would like to discuss today a very timely issue regarding the Seventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not steal.” This commandment is not just about individual actions – it also applies to institutions, governments, and even the Church itself. Recently, concerns have been raised regarding Catholic Charities and certain bishops using funds – including donations from faithful Catholics – to support illegal immigration, even in ways that may contradict both U.S. law and the common good. This raises serious moral questions about stewardship, justice, and obedience to legitimate authority.

In Luke 16:10, Jesus teaches: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.” Church leaders entrusted with charitable funds have a duty to ensure that resources are distributed ethically and lawfully. Misusing donations – whether by diverting them from their intended purpose or using them in ways that violate just laws – can fall under theft.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The seventh commandment forbids theft, that is, usurping another’s property against the reasonable will of the owner” (CCC 2408). If donations are given by Catholics for a specific purpose – such as assisting local parishes, supporting struggling families, or aiding persecuted Christians – and are instead funneled into programs that support illegal immigration in violation of civil law, this raises serious moral concerns. It is not only a question of legality but of justice: “Are the faithful being misled about how their contributions are used?”

The Church has always upheld the dignity of every human being, including migrants, and calls for compassion toward the suffering. However, compassion must be ordered according to justice. St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us: “Justice without mercy is cruelty, but mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution.”

When Catholic organizations use donations to assist illegal immigration in ways that encourage law-breaking, undermine national sovereignty, or burden communities that struggle to support their own citizens, they risk acting outside the moral order. True charity does not encourage wrongdoing but seeks the authentic good of all.

One of the gravest concerns in this situation is the erosion of trust between the laity and the Church leadership. Pope St. John Paul II, in his encyclical Centesimus Annus, warned against misguided social policies that undermine both justice and morality. He wrote: “It is not legitimate to practice charity at the expense of justice, or to deny the rights of some in order to provide for others.”

If bishops and Catholic organizations are knowingly violating laws and misusing funds in ways that harm the faithful, they are acting against both justice and the Seventh Commandment. They must be held accountable, just as any steward is held responsible for how they manage what has been entrusted to them.

Also, another grave violation of the Seventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not steal,” is the abuse of taxpayer money. Many governments, including the U.S., engage in reckless spending, fraud, and the misuse of public funds, often for political agendas rather than the common good. For example, billions of dollars are sent to other countries while American citizens struggle with poverty, homelessness, and lack of essential services.

Scripture warns us about dishonest rulers: “Woe to those who enact unjust laws and who issue oppressive decrees, depriving the poor of justice and robbing my people’s rightful claim, making widows their prey and orphans their plunder!” (Isaiah 10:1-2).

Also, while businesses should generate profits fairly, many corporations today violate the Seventh Commandment through the following unethical practices:

1. Price gouging – Raising prices unfairly on essential goods, especially during crises, which exploits the poor and vulnerable.

2. Unjust wages – Many workers, especially in developing nations, are underpaid while executives receive excessive salaries.

3. Exploitation of labor – Companies outsource jobs to sweatshops or use forced labor, including in China, where human rights abuses are rampant.

4. Planned obsolescence – Many companies intentionally design products to break down quickly, forcing consumers to repurchase them.

St. James warns about unjust business practices: “Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts” (James 5:4).

Furthermore, there is an area in our digital age where people often engage in theft without realizing it, for example, in these three areas:

1. Piracy – Downloading movies, music, or software illegally is a form of stealing.

2. Hacking and cybercrime – Online fraud, identity theft, and data breaches violate the property and privacy of others.

3. Plagiarism – Copying someone else’s work and presenting it as one’s own is theft.

Pope Benedict XVI emphasized in Caritas in Veritate: “The violation of intellectual property is a form of theft that damages both the creator and society.”

Another thing I feel the need to talk about today is the growing push for socialism in many countries, which often leads to government overreach and the forced redistribution of wealth. While the Church teaches that we must care for the poor, forced redistribution and excessive taxation violate personal property rights.

Pope Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum warned against socialism, stating: “The first and most fundamental principle if one would undertake to alleviate the condition of the masses, must be the inviolability of private property.” While we must practice charity, the forced confiscation of wealth under the guise of fairness is still a form of theft.

Also, a modern, less obvious violation of the Seventh Commandment is the deliberate destruction of someone’s ability to work or provide for their family. Cancel culture ruins reputations and careers through false accusations and public shaming. Also, falsely accusing someone of wrongdoing can lead to job loss, financial ruin, and even legal consequences.

The Catechism states: “Any form of unjustly taking and keeping the goods of one’s neighbor is against the Seventh Commandment” (CCC 2409). This includes ruining someone’s livelihood out of revenge or ideological hatred.

Last of all, I want to briefly mention gambling and financial speculation. While not all gambling is sinful, it becomes a violation of the Seventh Commandment when it leads to financial ruin, addiction, or the reckless loss of money meant for a family’s well-being. Predatory gambling in which casinos and lotteries target the poor is wrong, as is financial speculation in which investors engage in reckless stock market manipulation, harming small investors while enriching the elite.

In Proverbs 13:11, we are warned: “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”

The Seventh Commandment is far-reaching. It calls us to:

1. Respect property and wealth, both personally and institutionally.

2. Hold leaders accountable for the just use of resources.

3. Reject modern forms of theft, including economic exploitation and corruption.

4. Be honest in our financial dealings – whether online, in business, or in government.

As Catholics, we are called to stand for truth and justice in a world that often justifies dishonesty. We must be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us, ensuring that we do not steal – whether through deception, corruption, or unjust policies.

We must realize that the Seventh Commandment is more than just a prohibition against theft – it is a call to justice, integrity, and responsible stewardship. We must strive to be honest in all our dealings, hold our leaders accountable, and ensure that both charity and justice guide our actions so that we may reflect the righteousness of Christ in all that we do.

In a world where dishonesty and corruption are often justified, let us resolve to stand firmly for truth. Let us examine our own lives, speak out against injustice, and ensure that we live by the words of Christ: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Thank you for joining me once again for “A Shepherd’s Voice.” As we can see, this journey through the Ten Commandments (we have talked about commandment #7 today) is an essential journey that reminds us of essential truths that are important for how we live every day. We have probably all heard this quote (I believe from a politician from the past): “All politics is local.” And I am reminded as I look at the commandments, especially this commandment today, “Thou shalt not steal,” that we are often challenged to recognize that our very local, personal choices are essentially our responding to the commandments of God. It can feel overwhelming, and I have to admit to a sense of being overwhelmed at times with all the repercussions of the commandments as we have looked at each of them.

With commandment #7, we have to look deeply at any hint of theft in our own lives, and hopefully we have exposed the many different ways that can occur. We can all feel helpless in the face of corruption in the government and, sadly, in the Church as well. We can be angry, we can be frustrated, and certainly, we need to act in response to any corruption that we see in the most just way we can - that is important. If we see politicians using our hard-earned funds that are given in taxes that are part of the economic structure of our nation - when politicians use our required participation in the economic health of the nation, our taxes, in unjust ways - then it is our obligation to vote and to make our voices heard, and to pay attention to how those funds are being used. We should do our best to pay taxes, but work against any ways that the funds we offer are used in unjust ways or used in corrupt ways that harm the people of God, rather than helping.

We have to also acknowledge the same reality in the Church. Our Church leaders, too often it seems as we see more and more reports, have not used the contributions of hard-working, honest, and generous Catholics in the ways that the Catholics donating intended. We have to make our decisions in light of living God’s justice and truth, as fully as we can, always respectful of whatever authority in the Church and in the nation, but also taking the responsibility to protest, to speak out when we see funds that we have freely given, out of our knowledge that we must be generous as part of our living out of the commandments, especially the commandment, “Thou shalt not steal.” To be generous with what we have is essential, but we have a responsibility for how that generosity is used.

Yes, it can feel overwhelming, and rather than feeling we have to change the nation, or change the Church, or the world, let us seek to make sure that we are doing our best to authentically live the Commandment, “Thou shalt not steal,” in every way that we can, in every aspect of our lives.

That takes me back to the idea that living the Commandments is local. It is personal. It is something we all have to do the best we can. It is a reminder that we, as Catholics, have the resource of the Sacrament of Confession. If, after reflecting with me on these commandments, you recognize areas of your life where you have failed to live as fully as you should, hopefully not in mortally sinful ways, but in real ways that are not in the spirit of these commandments and living them as fully as possible, then let us utilize the gift that God has given us in the Sacrament of Confession. Certainly, that applies to all the Commandments. It is a wise thing to do – to reflect on the Commandments – as we prepare our conscience for a good confession. I would imagine that most of us will recognize at least venial failings in the context of the commandments when we truly reflect on them as commandments for us personally and not just ideas that we need to be aware of. These are guides for living.

The final aspect that I think in today’s world, in the Church, in the nation, and globally, that is very important – is what was emphasized by Pope Leo XIII, as I shared some of the written notes today - the idea of personal property. It is one that is threatened in many, sometimes subtle ways and sometimes overt ways, but communism and socialism are not Gospel-oriented systems in the world. Certainly, capitalism has its imperfections as well, but the leanings towards socialism and even communism are ways that living the commandments becomes more difficult, if not impossible. In those systems, and at the root of socialism especially, and certainly in communism, is a neglect of the basic idea of property rights. God has created us to be able to have what we need to take care of ourselves and our families. Yes, we are called to use those resources responsibly, and many times the issues in our world come down to not responsibly using our God-given resources – whether on the very local level of our own families, running up credit card debt and endangering our family’s prosperity in other ways, and on the global level and national level of forgetting the property of others.

If people are super-wealthy, yes, they have an obligation to share that wealth, and many very wealthy people are extremely generous. We applaud them for that and support them, and hopefully, they inspire us to be generous as well. Most of us are not among the super-wealthy, but we all (I can speak for myself) have more than we need. As the saints and the Gospels remind us, we need to look at what we have, see what we can share, and be reminded that in sharing, in giving to others, there is always great joy.

I suppose that is a good way to end our reflection on the Seventh Commandment, “Thou shalt not steal.” The joy of respecting others’ property and our own, the joy of sharing with others who have real needs, is a strength and blessing that comes from seeking to do our best to live this commandment. Let us continue to do so, embracing the commandments as expressions of God’s wondrous love for us as our Heavenly Father.

God bless you.

Your Shepherd,

Bishop Joseph E. Strickland

Bishop Emeritus